


Rats, Cats and Balls of Wool

by Sirenswhisper



Series: Graced [12]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Cats, Family, Fluff, Gates knits socks, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 10:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15839739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sirenswhisper/pseuds/Sirenswhisper
Summary: A quiet family moment involving a Very Helpful Cat and socks. Because I adore bitty Max.





	Rats, Cats and Balls of Wool

**Author's Note:**

> This story follows Max having been adopted by Miranda, James and Thomas. She's had time to settle in and adjust. Which is why Max is behaving differently to how she does in the story Dreamingpagan has written.

Admiral's tail flicked as his eyes fixed on the ball of wool that Gates was using to knit his current sock project. Thomas put a soothing hand on the cat's back and was rewarded by claws pressing into his legs. 

"Admiral, you've no manners. You're supposed to sheath your claws in polite company." Thomas scolded and hooked the claws out of his trousers. He loved cats but there really was no beating chickens as ideal pets in his opinion. 

Max looked up from where she was sat beside Gates very carefully balling up wool that Admiral had been at only that morning. They woken up to find the main room strewn with the stuff. 

"Serves me right for not hiding it I suppose." Gates had grumbled and stomped off to collect water for tea. As he stepped outside they'd heard him say, "so much for this no shame lark." 

Max had got a small frown on her delicate face and had quietly spent the morning untaggling the mess with precise fingers. 

Admiral's tail twitched again and Thomas gave him a stern look. "If you spent this much time chasing rodents or guarding my chickens, then you wouldn't want to go after wool." 

"Should have got a female cat if you wanted a mouser. They make the best hunters. Not as lazy either." James gave the cat a look. 

"We have rats?" Max asked her wide eyes looking between them. 

"Ick, I hope not." Thomas shuddered. 

"Nah. I'd know if we did." James took a seat beside Thomas with a book in one hand and the other occupied with scratching Admiral behind the ears. 

"I don't like rats-" Max bit her lip against what appeared to be the rest of that sentence. 

"Not even Eirnin's rat mutiny?" Gates asked. 

A small grin broke out on Max's face, "Grandpere's rats don't count." 

"Have you ever met a rat?" Gates asked. His voice was soft and warm as he talked to his granddaughter.

Max nodded and looked away. Gates started the next line of stitching and the tempting wool became too much for Admiral as it twitched. He sprang from Thomas' lap with a bound that left Thomas' yelping. 

Gates shouted as Admiral caught and killed the wool with such ferocity that the attached half-completed sock was nearly pulled into the fray. 

Miranda came out onto the veranda at the sound of Thomas' exclamation and Gates' huffed insults at the unconcerned feline. After she had reassured herself that her family was fine she took a seat amongst them. Her eyes fell on the careful way Max was balling up the wool. 

"Would you like to learn embroidery?" Miranda asked. 

Max's face light up and she bounded across the space between them to throw herself in Miranda's arms. 

"Oh, Mama, Mama, yes please. Will you teach me?" Max asked. 

"Of course." Miranda's eyes gleamed with happy tears as her daughter settled herself on Miranda's lap. 

"Have you ever seen a rat?" Max asked Miranda. 

"Yes, nasty things." Miranda leaned and whispered, "Although I think Thomas has a softspot for mice." 

Max wrinkled her nose in disagreement of Thomas' opinion. "When I was little," she started, and no one felt the need to point out that she was still rather tiny. She'd not gained enough weight yet and was badly in need of a growth spurt. "I woke up to a giant rat sitting on my chest. I thought it was going to squeeze all my breath out. And it was chewing on my hair!" 

Miranda wrapped her arms around Max's waist and pressed kisses on her forehead. "Don't you worry. If we get even a hint of rats I'll have James rounding up as many Nassau cats as he can find until those brutes are gone." 

Max mumbled something. 

"What was that?" Miranda asked. 

"Will Grampy Gates knit me some socks? They look comfy." Max whispered. 

Gates has apparently heard because he set aside his current sock and said, "Pick out the colour you want and I'll start right away."


End file.
